Non-recoil gun



c. J. COOKE. NON-RECOIL GUN.

.AF'PLICATHJN FILED MAR. 24, 1920.

Patented June 7, 1921.

3 vuic for UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES J'. COOKE, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

NON-RECOIL GUN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J une 7, 1921.

Application filed March 24, 1920. Serial No. 368,438.

My present invention relates to ordnance but more particularlyto guns of the non recoil type, open at both ends, adapted to fire a suitable shell or projectile in one direction, and to utilize the escaping gases of combustion to counterbalance the recoil, as exemplified by disclosures contained in my pending application Serial Number 27 0,610.

It has for its chief object the production of portable guns of the class described, either of large or small caliber, and of 'comparatively light weight, capable of being operated from more or less fragile mounts, such for example as aeroplanes, seaplanes, and light gun-carriages which could not withstand the recoil forces of ordinary guns.

A further object of the present invention is the production of non-recoil guns characterized by a diverging deflector at the rear end in direct communication with the firing chamber of the gun, the same be1ng designed, arranged and adapted to utilize the expansion of the gases as they pass through said diverging deflector for the purpose of dissipating the recoil forces result.- ing from'the explosion in ordinary. guns.

A further object is the employment of additional muzzle deflectors at the forward end of guns of the class indicated, so positioned and arranged with relation to the gun barrel that escaping gases, following the flight of a projectile, will impinge upon said forward deflectors to assist in counteracting the recoil forces.

A further object of the invention is the production of non-recoil guns of comparatively light and durable construction, consisting essentially ofa unitary gun barrel and rearwardly diverging deflector elements capable of counteracting recoil of the gun by agency of expanding gases asthey pass rearwardly through said diverging deflector.

With the foregoing and other objects in View, as also certain novel details of construction by which such objects are facilitated, the present inventionwill now be particularly described, and hereinafter pointed out by the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings which form part of this application for Letters Patent, and whereon like numerals refer to corresponding parts in the several views: Figure 1 is a longitudinal central sectional view of the invention, suspended by parallel links from the fuselageof an aeroplane in parallelism with the longitudinal axis thereof; and

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional View through the breech of gun', taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Reference being had to the drawings illustrating one embodiment of the present invention, and to the numerals thereon, 1 indicates a gun barrel of any suitable material or known form of construction, preference being given to those materials commonly employed in the construction of heavy ordnance, such for example as high grade alloyed steel because of its inherent strength and comparative lightness.

Extending rearwardly from the gun barrel or body 1, and in direct communication with the interior thereof, is an outwardly diverging tubular deflector 2 of comparatively light weight. As shown in its simplest form of construc tion, the said tubular and diverging deflector 2 may be forged or otherwise formed integral with the gun body 1 at its breech, and with walls of outwardly tapering thickness, although it should be understood'that the last mentioned feature-is by no means essential, and thesaid diverging deflector 2 may readily beformed as an independent detachable member ifdesired.

At its opposite or forwardend the gun barrel'l is surrounded by an exterior screw threaded collar 3 to which is securely bolted a series of forward muzzle deflectors 4, each consisting of an annulus having a central opening 5 of slightly greater diameter than the central bore 6 of the gun and each cupped upon its rear face as shown, the several dedetonating fuse or fuses 24 embedde connected as shown at 12 to the underside of a trap door 15 opening into the cockpit of the fuselage. Obviously when this door 15 is raised inwardly upon its hinges 16, the gun, pivoting upon the lowerextremities of links 11, enters the cockpit of the fuselage at its outer end in convenient position for loading.

Preferably fixed ammunition is employed in obtaining the best results from the present invention, consisting, as shown by Fig. 1, of a slug or projectile 17, fitted with screw trailing blades 18, having an opencenter as shown and embedded in the firing cartridge or propelling charge 19, and surrounded 'by a cartridge case 20 of relatively stiff nitrocellulose or other combustible material. lVithinsaid cartridge case also, at its extreme rear center, is provided a wad 21 for bridging the communicating opening between the rear end of body 1 and the front end of its diverging deflector tube 2 for purposes which will later appear.

When dropped into the mouth ofthe gun the charge assumes the position indicated by Fig. 1, with its frangible wad 21 temporarily closing the rear end of gun, and its annular depression or groove 22 engaged by the protruding end of spring latch or plug 23 to retain the fixed charge in proper firing position. The actual firing may be accomplished by various means both mechanical and electrical, as for example by agenc of a trally in the cartridge. and provided with an electric lead 25, which may extend rearwardly through deflector 2, to a suitable circuit closing switch (not shown), or said firing wires may lead into the cartridge and to a suitable switch-controlled electrlc cir- .cuit (not shown) by way of the aforesaid spring-pressedelectric firing pin and latch 23, passing through and insulated from the hollow nipple 26 screwed into the gun barrel substantially as shown.-

At both sides the depending gun-supporting links 11 are yieldingly connected to the bottom 14 of the fuselage by interposed tento yield slightly atthe instant of firing, but under normal conditions to maintain the gun in proper firing position.

In suspending a gun thus from the bottom 14 of the fuselage of an aeroplane, it will be noted that its firing position is alwa s in parallelism with the longitudinal axls of censaid fuselage thereby making it possible to train the gunupon a given target by the simple process of aiming the aeroplane at it. It will be particularly noted also that said depending and parallel arrangement insures the greatest possible degree of safety to both aeroplane and its operators from the possibility of fire and burning gases following adischarge of the gun. a

;The foregoing being a description of my present invention in its simplest and best form of embodiment at present known to me, its use and operation will now be briefly set forth as follows Presuming that a fixed ammunition charge is employed andthat same is positioned as shown by Fig. 1 in the firing chamber .o'f the gun 1, also that a suitable firing fuse or fuses 24 are embedded in the propelling charge 19, and suitably connected with a switch-controlled electric circuit op-. erating through nipple 26 or otherwise as a firing means, it will be noted that under such conditions closing of said electric circuit in the well understood manner now serves to fire fuses 24 which in turn ignite the charge 19. The combustible cartridge case 20 is promptly consumed, and the gases of combustion instantly drive the shot or shell 17 forward with great muzzle velocity. at the same time forcing the frangible wad 21 through the constricted openingwhich it had served to temporarily bridge. The momentary obstruction of the constricted front opening of the deflector 2, by the frangible wad 21 causes the pressure of the propelling gases to rise rapidly, The wad 21' is now blown through the said constricted opening, but the pressure of the gases in the meantime having reached a high value, combustion continues at a sufiicient velocity to be efi'ective.

' While the projectile 17 is moving through the barrel of the n a recoil of the entire gun is initiated, t e amount of this recoil 110 being-very much less than that of an ordinary gun, due to the forward reaction produced bytheexpanding gases in their action upon the interior diverging walls of deflector 2, while at the same timegases following 115 the shot 17 in its flight immediately after leaving the gun, impinge directly upon the cupped muzzle deflectors 4 for the same purpose of absorbing the recoil.

When in High itiis quite obvious that the 120 trailing blades 8 impart to the shot 17 a rotary movement even though fired from a slon springs 27, 27 arranged and adapted n ofsmooth bore as shown in the present illustratlons, and because of the skeleton form or open center construction as shown nation may my invention in the bestform of construe-- tion at present known to me, it should be understood that I by no means limit myself to the coordinating arrangement and com bination of parts shown and described. On

the contrary such arrangement and combi-.

be varied greatly Without in the least'departing from the spirit of my invention, or the broad terms of the claims by which it is expressed.

Having thus described my invention, what I now claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 2- 1. A non-recoil gun comprising in combination a gun body and a rearwardly diverging deflector in direct communication with the interior of said gun body.

2. A non-recoil gun comprising in combination a gun body and a rearwardly divergmg tubular deflector in direct communication withv the interior of said gun body. 3. A non-recoil gun comprising in combi- 4. A non-recoil gun comprising in combination a gun body, a rearwardly diverging deflector communicating with the interior of said gun body by means of a constricted passage and a frangible wad for temporarily closing said passage.

5. The combination with an aeroplane and an aeroplane gun,

otally suspending said gun beneath the fuselage of the aeroplane, and for maintaining the gun always in parallelism with the longitudinal axis of the fuselage when in operative position, 7 is 7 V V V 6. Thecombination with an aeroplane and an aeroplane gun, of suitable links pivotally connected to both aeroplane and gun for maintaining the latter below and always in parallelism with the longitudinal axis of the aeroplane when in operative position.

7. The combination with an aeroplane and an aeroplane gun, of links pivotally suspending said gun beneath the fuselage of an aeroplane for maintaining the gun always arallelism with the longitudinal axis of the fuselage when-in operative position, and tension springs connected to one of said links for returning same to its normal position.

nation a gun body and a rearwardly diverging deflector communicating with the interior of said gun body by means of a constricted passage.

In testimony whereof'I afiix my signature, in presence of two subscrlbmg witnesses".

CHARLES J. COOKE.

Witnesses:

WM. E. DYRE, JAMES H. Mann.

of means for piv- 4 

